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Mom Grateful For 'Unbelievable' Kindness Colonial Heights Police Showed Her Family

August 15, 2023

The Colonial Heights Police Department in Virginia went above and beyond to assist a out-of-town family with a special needs son.

Babette Hansen / WTVR News 6

Sara Ford and her family stopped to eat in Colonial Heights on their way home to New York. About two hours after leaving the restaurant, she realized her son Liam left his iPad behind. Liam, who lives with an intellectual disability, uses his iPad to learn.

Ford called the restaurant and was told by staff that the iPad was still there and that they would keep it safe for her. Since they were already hours away, she called the Colonial Heights Police Department for help.

Babette Hansen answered the phone.

"I told [Hansen] my son is special needs and she was extremely supportive," Ford told WTRV.

Sara Ford

"I'm a mom of three children grown and grandmother of five. One of them is mildly, mildly Autistic, and I know the needs of a mom with an Autistic child," Hansen told the news station.

Hansen called Lt. Jason Chimera, who, in turn, called the Ford family to tell them he'd take care of everything. About 30 minutes later, he arrived at the police station with the tablet.

Before mailing it back to the Ford family, the officers filled it with mementos from around the department.

"I was in tears for what they did for him," Ford said.

Lt. Jason Chimera / Liam